Interim applications without notice are typically used in which situation?

• A. Exceptional urgency or where notice would defeat the purpose
• B. When there is time to spare
• C. When the claim is admitted
• D. When the court refuses the application

Answer: (A)

Interim applications without notice are about getting urgent, temporary relief before the other side can be heard. They’re ex parte requests used only in exceptional circumstances where waiting to notify the other party would defeat the purpose of the relief or cause irreparable harm.

Think of a situation where asset dissipation could foil any later remedy, or where immediate action is needed to preserve the status quo or prevent serious prejudice. In these cases, the applicant can apply to the court without giving notice, but they must show a real urgency and a genuine need for swift protection. The court will usually require full and frank disclosure of all material facts, and will often impose undertakings in damages. Any order is provisional and typically returns on a short date to allow the other side to be heard, unless the urgency overrides that process.

The other options don’t fit because time to spare means you could give notice and still obtain relief, which defeats the purpose of an without-notice application; a claim being admitted does not by itself justify bypassing the notice process; and a court refusal would indicate that urgent relief without notice isn’t warranted in that instance.